


The Art of Us

by luvstars



Category: SHINee
Genre: M/M, tattoo artist!jonghyun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2016-12-13
Packaged: 2018-09-08 09:37:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8839594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luvstars/pseuds/luvstars
Summary: Matching Tattoo Soulmates AU.Jonghyun finally finds his soulmate. But he’s asking him to remove his tattoo for good.





	

**Author's Note:**

> a/n: sorry for spelling mistakes or grammar errors.
> 
> i was looking at soulmate au prompts and this whole fic idea comes from [here](http://silentpeaches.tumblr.com/post/125291322610/soulmate-au-story-ideas%22).

Jonghyun pulls out a notebook from his backpack that he always carries around. It’s a slow day today at the tattoo shop he works at so he’s usually allowed to sit around. His co-workers are usually playing games on their phones but Jonghyun always opts to write. He’s been itching to write new lyrics but he’s had writers block for some time now and it’s driving him to become a ball of frustration. He taps his pen against the edge of the table and watches as the first snow of the winter falls. He smiles happily while he sees the snowflakes peppering the cold streets, falling on top of parked cars and the street lights. It’s always the best when there’s snow outside, at least that way the cold air doesn’t bug him as much because there’s a beautiful sight before him.

Jonghyun is shaken from his thoughts when one of his co-workers call him over. “Jonghyun! Come here please.”

Jonghyun slowly stands up from the large black couch he was sitting on and pockets his pen. He walks over towards the counter Krystal is standing behind and looks at who she’s looking at and he can’t help but freeze. Jonghyun has seen his fair share of beautiful men but he’s never seen someone _this_ beautiful. The man before them is beyond breath taking. His facial features are striking and he can't help but feel lost looking at his high cheek bones. His eyes remind him of the pretty cats his sister own, they're small and feline shaped and so, so beautiful. 

Krystal nudges him, a small smirk on her face. _Fuck, she noticed my staring_ Jonghyun thinks. She tells him, “Kibum here wants to have a tattoo removed.”

Jonghyun moves from around the counter and stands in front of Kibum. Jonghyun is used to feeling small around others. It embarrasses him a lot that he wasn’t given much height but in front of Kibum he feels the perfect height. He extends his hand and Kibum gladly takes it. Jonghyun shivers as their hands connect, he feels warmth when their fingers meet and he can’t help but feel sparks flying around.

“I’m Jonghyun,” he introduces himself.

“Kibum,” the beautiful boy grins.

They stand there for a bit just staring at each other and they’re broken from each other’s gazes when someone to the side of them clears their throat.

“So, uh, I’ll let you guys chat,” Krystal moves from behind the counters towards the back of the shop.

Jonghyun looks down embarrassed, he can feel his cheeks heat up. He plays with the fringe of hair and removes it from his eyes. “So tattoo removal?”

Kibum nods, “Yeah, I’ve been wanting to get it removed for a while now.”

“Sounds like you’re sure,” Jonghyun lets out a small laugh. “Come with me so we can talk about it.”

Kibum follows Jonghyun and gestures him to sit on the couch he was on minutes ago. Jonghyun offers Kibum something to drink but he declines saying that had lunch before he came here and he's totally fine. Jonghyun excuses himself to get himself a water bottle and Kibum says it's fine.

When he returns, drink in hand, he sits next to Kibum and turns to ask him. “So what tattoo am I removing?”

“Uh… my soulmate tattoo?”

Jonghyun’s eyebrows raise in surprise. It’s not like he isn’t used to people coming here to erase their soulmate tattoo from their skin. It’s a common practice since the law that you couldn’t remove your tattoo was outlawed and declared unconstitutional. It’s better this way, people used to go to dingy shops and get infected because they weren’t using the right equipment. But it’s usually people in their mid 30s or 40s who never met their soulmate that want to get rid of it. It’s very rarely someone so young that comes in to get it removed.

“Are you sure?” Jonghyun asks. He quickly realizes what he's asked. He’s not allowed to question what the client wants unless they’re drunk and corrects himself quickly. “I mean, of course.”

Kibum lets out a loud laugh and Jonghyun jumps a little in surprise. He watches Kibum hit his own thigh from his small fit of laugh and Jonghyun can’t help but let his own giggles leave his mouth. _His laugh is just as beautiful as him,_ he thinks.

“I’m positive,” he assures Jonghyun. “I’ve never believed in the whole soulmate thing. I just don’t like the idea behind it and I’ve always known that once I’m older I’d like to get it off.”

Jonghyun looks down at his hands before looking up to meet Kibum’s eyes. He hesitates before asking, “If this doesn’t cross any lines, can I know why you feel that way?”

“You’re fine,” Kibum hand swishes against the air, in a motion telling him it’s nothing. “I’ve just always hated the idea that I’m confined to one person. I mean we’re not in the stone ages anymore where we are only destined to be with our soulmate and that’s it. Everyone our ages dates and falls in love and sometimes people do search for their soulmate sometimes people don’t. But it's not like we _need_ to and I don't like feeling like I _have_ to.”

“So you just want to get rid of yours so you don't feel that way?”

“Yeah, it’d be easier for me. Once I fall in love with someone I’d like to come back and get a tattoo with them. A matching one that we can pick because we picked each other.”

“That’s both sadistic and romantic all at the same time,” Jonghyun remarks.

Kibum smiles, “That feels like a compliment so I’ll take it as one.”

“It was one, don’t worry.” Jonghyun beams. He gets a little closer to Kibum and motions for his arm. “Can I see the tattoo?”

Kibum shimmies off his coat and pulls up the sleeve from his long-sleeved shirt. He turns over his wrist and places it into Jonghyun’s hands. “Here.”

 

Jonghyun’s eyes nearly pop out of his head when he sees the tattoo. It’s the very same tattoo that he knows like the back of his hand. It’s the very same tattoo that he’s memorized since he was a young boy and learned everything about soulmates. It’s the very same tattoo that he’s drawn over and over again with a smile on face just waiting until he meets his own soulmate.

It’s the very same tattoo the man in front of him wants to remove.

 

“Are you okay?” Kibum asks, clearly seeing him frozen.

“Oh yeah,” Jonghyun slowly let’s go of his wrist. “It’s just so beautiful. I was surprised.”

Kibum purses his lips as he tilts his head to look down at wrist, “I guess it is.”

Jonghyun feels his heart breaking on the inside. He feels his hands clam up as he walks over to get an agreement sheet and one that explains everything there needs to be known about tattoo removal and care. He feels his legs shake a little as he goes back to sit down in front of Kibum. He’s surprised his voice doesn’t quiver as he explains everything to Kibum and the man simply nods, he tells Jonghyun he’s done a lot of research so he knows all about it and he’s ready. That only hurts Jonghyun’s heart more. He swallows deeply as he points Kibum to where he needs to sign and Kibum happily signs away turning the paper over to Jonghyun once everything’s ready.

“So I’ll see you tomorrow so we can get started, okay?” Jonghyun says, forcing a smile on his face.

“Sounds good,” Kibum places his arms through the sleeves of his coat. Once he done he turns to Jonghyun and extends his hand. “Nice meeting you.”

Jonghyun accepts his hand and says, “Nice to meet you too.”

He watches as Kibum turns on his heels and then he’s out the door, grabbing a knit hat from one of the pockets of his coat and disappears into the snowy streets.

Krystal appears beside him with a smirk plastered on her face, she nudges him with her hips. “So how was that?”

“It was fine,” he tells her deflated.

 Krystal frowns at him, she notices his change of mood from earlier and touches his forehead with the palm of her hand. “Did you suddenly get sick? Your temperature feels fine.”

“I’ll be okay,” he grabs her hand from his forehead and gives it small squeeze. “Don’t worry.”

 

Jonghyun leaves her standing there as he plops himself on his couch, pulling out his notebook from earlier and grabbing his pen suddenly feeling everything he needs to write a song. He stares down at his own tattoo on his wrist, he traces the lines with his index finger and sighs deeply. He picks up his pen once more and writes the title of his new song.

_A song to my soulmate: who wants me to remove his soulmate tattoo._


End file.
